


Till The End of the Line(s)

by CatelynTsukino



Series: Endgame Stories [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Gen, Multi, Old Steve Rogers, Sort Of, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:34:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24986146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatelynTsukino/pseuds/CatelynTsukino
Summary: "Once upon a time, though, he had Natasha and Sam by his side. Once upon a time, long ago, he had Tony to coordinate things he had no clue about. Once upon a time, longer ago, he had Bucky and Peggy next to him.By now, he should’ve known how to move on. By now, it should’ve been easier. But it wasn’t. It only got harder."At Tony's funeral, Steve is delivered one last mission.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers
Series: Endgame Stories [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1811425
Kudos: 24





	Till The End of the Line(s)

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by the theory that Peggy had married Steve all along, and he didn't go to alternate timeline when he went to the past. This theory always seemed more plausible, and Bucky's behavior always intrigued me. When he and Steve bid their goodbyes, it seemed like he already knew Steve wasn't coming back, and he reacted way to calmly to old Steve. Why didn't he go to him before Sam?  
> It didn't make that much sense to me... unless he already knew what happened. So that was how this story was born. Hope you enjoy!  
> Warning: as much as I love Stucky as a romantic couple, this doesn't have it. I wanted to keep this as canon-compliant as possible, so it'd seem plausible within the final events of Endgame.

Tony had extended family. For some reason, it surprised Steve; maybe it was because _he_ only ever had his mother (and Bucky, but he wasn’t _blood_ family). He only found out because some of those more distant relatives showed up to say goodbye at his funeral.

Pepper greeted them as politely as she could, and even introduced them to Morgan. He saw some people helping her, people who were closer to Tony than he ever was able to be: Nick Fury, Happy Hogan, James Rhodes, even Maria Hill (he suddenly remembered she was hired by Stark Industries after the fall of SHIELD).

He kept his distance, watching it all from afar, alone. He couldn’t even bring himself to join Bucky and Sam, no matter how many times the two stared at him, as if waiting for him to come to them. It wasn’t fair that he got his friends back and survived to celebrate, while Tony and Natasha didn’t.

At least Tony got to hug his loved ones (most of them) one last time. Natasha never said goodbye; she didn’t know she’d have to. They didn’t even have a body for a funeral. A small service was held before Tony’s, but that was it.

It wasn’t fair at all. Why _them_ , and not him? He had lived long enough, longer than he should have. Yeah, you could say the 66 years under the ice didn’t count, but sometimes he felt these years anyway. He had been tired of fighting since the battle against the Chitauri, but never managed to find a way out of that lifestyle.

Once upon a time, though, he had Natasha and Sam by his side. Once upon a time, long ago, he had Tony to coordinate things he had no clue about. Once upon a time, longer ago, he had Bucky and Peggy next to him.

By now, he should’ve known how to move on. By now, it should’ve been easier. But it wasn’t. It only got _harder_. He tried to ground himself, remember what he still had. It helped a little, but not today. Today was just too much.

Bruce had asked him to return the Stones to where they had been retrieved from. Asked if he was fine with doing it alone. He lied, said that yes, he was, how hard could it be?

He wasn’t ready to face even more ghosts. Not to go back to 2012 and see Tony and Natasha. Not to go to Asgard as if the place hadn’t been destroyed. Not to go to Vormir and see Natasha’s body. Not to go to 1970 and catch sight of Howard and Peggy. No, he wasn’t ready for any of that, but he had to be strong. Captain America was _strong_ ; this kind of thing wouldn’t tear him apart. _Nothing_ would.

Maybe if he told himself that enough times, it would become the truth.

At one point, Bucky approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder. When he turned, he said, “There is an old man who wants to see you. He’s Stark’s godfather, or something.”

He frowned, but followed his best friend. Tony left a godfather behind? How _old_ was he?

He got inside a small bedroom. An old man sat on the bed, back straightened as if it was easy. It was easy for Steve, but that man was what, a hundred years old? Okay, Steve was _over_ 100 years, but…

“Hello, young me.”

* * *

He _had_ to sit down. Bucky even had to _help_ him sit down. What did the old man say?

“What do you mean, ‘young me’? Am I supposed to know who you are?”

The man smiled and waited for Steve to get comfortable in the small chair. Bucky positioned himself by his side, hands on his pockets.

“I know, I know, it sounds surreal. But Strange should be here anytime now, he just went to the bathroom. He can attest the truth of my words. I’m _you_ , Steve. _We_ are Steve Rogers.”

He shook his head. “That doesn’t make any sense, sir.” That man was clearly out of his mind. Maybe it was guilt over not checking on his godson before it was too late…

“He tells the truth, Captain Rogers”, he heard a voice say. He lifted his head and saw a man in cape, dressed like a wizard. He saw him talking to Tony a couple times during the battle. “I’m Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme. We’ll get to know each better, don’t worry.”

He grimaced. “What?”

“Let’s start from the beginning”, the old man (his old self?) said. “You are going back in time to place the Stones back where they came from, right?”

He arched his eyebrows. There was no way that man could’ve known about his mission if he was just Tony’s godfather. He nodded, and the man proceeded. “I did it once, decades ago. This is a cycle, you see. I once was in your place, startled that an old man claimed to be myself. Anyway, after delivering the last Stone back, I went back to 1949. Back to Peggy.”

He stood up abruptly. The mild dizziness he felt didn’t stop him from near shouting, “ _What the hell_? Peggy lived her life, she moved on! _Why_ did you go to her and change that? Why did _I_ do it?”

“Because Carter didn’t tell you the whole truth”, Strange replied. “Did she tell you _who_ she lived her life with? _Who_ was her husband?”

He shook his head, but still, “There is a video recording of her saying she married a soldier I saved. It’s on the Smithsonian.”

“You seem to forget”, his old self replied calmly, “that you fell in love with an _agent_. Peggy was an excellent liar when she had to be, even in her old age.”

Suddenly he felt younger, like he was his pre-serum self, struggling to breathe. Bucky again helped him sit down, and it was his best friend who voice his question. “You mean that Steve is _meant_ to go back in time?”

“Yes”, Old Steve and Strange answered at the same time.

“You mean to tell me I’m supposed to go back to the 40s and live with Peggy and ignore every bad thing I _know_ it’s going to happen just… just to get _laid_?”

Bucky turned to him with wide eyes. “ _Steve!_ ” It was the strongest he heard of his voice since he found him in this century.

But Old Steve laughed. A genuine laugh, as if he had just been told a good joke. “Oh my, I remember saying that. It sounds so funny from the other side. Look”, his expression turned more serious, “of course I didn’t just let things happen. We are not like that, and you know it. We are restless, always have been. Things only happened the way they did _because_ I acted.”

“The _fuck_ you acted”, he spat. He could barely grasp on why he was angry, he just was. “You _knew_ what was going on with Bucky, and yet it was _me_ who found him and took him back. You _knew_ about Natasha and the KGB, and yet it was _Clint_ who rescued her. You _knew_ Howard was going to be a shitty dad to Tony, and did _nothing_. Aren’t you supposed to be his _godfather_?”

Old Steve stood up slowly and took a step closer. Seemingly unaffected by his young self’s ire, he placed his hands on both of his shoulders. “I wish I could tell you everything I did. I wish I could explain exactly how things turned out the way they did because of my actions, and how different they would otherwise. But I _can’t_ , not to you. You have to go with no more spoilers than you already have.”

“Your other self made a difference in the world you know”, Strange said. “For those differences to remain, you have to go through the same path. The stability of this timeline, of this _universe_ , depends on you making sure things will go _exactly_ the way they are meant to.”

Slowly, he turned to the sorcerer. “You’re saying that, if I stay here…”

“...this universe will collapse, just like the others will if the Stones are not returned. There are _consequences_ in messing with the fabrics of time, Rogers, and _this…_ This is something we _can’t_ mess up. I’m sorry.”

He turned back to his old self. “And if I do anything differently than I’m meant to, the universe will collapse anyway.”

The old man nodded with a small grin. “It isn’t as pressuring as it sounds, believe me. All you have to do is act like you can change everything for the better. The results will play out, and, piece by piece, you’ll figure out your next steps.”

He stayed still, empty gaze directed at the floor. He vaguely heard Old Steve walking away from him, and another set of steps faded too. When he raised his head, only Bucky was there. Without saying a word, he hugged his best friend and cried.

* * *

It was past 3 PM, and Bruce didn’t want to wait any longer. Old Steve was still inside the house; Pepper allowed him to stay the night. “I bet he wants to talk to you later”, Young Steve told Bucky as they walked to meet Bruce and Sam.

“I think so too.” A pause. “Are you feeling any better?”

“Yeah, a little. I guess I have another mission ahead, huh?”, he arched his eyebrows. “Captain America doesn’t really retire, I suppose.”

“You left your shield with Old Steve.”

“I’ll be carrying a suitcase with the Stones and Mjölnir. The serum didn’t give me a third arm to carry the shield. Besides, there is no record of another Captain America after I went down, so… the shield has to stay. I’m sure old me will find a use for it.”

Bucky stopped walking, and he turned around to face him. “Look, Steve”, he began. “It’s like what old you said: live your _life_ , not your mission. Marry Peggy, have her children. Be _happy_. You’ll figure out the rest along the way.”

He nodded, and they resumed walking. When they arrived, he suited up and got the suitcase. He already had the hammer in hand.

“Don’t do anything stupid while I’m away”, were his last words to Bucky.

“How can I?”, he replied, a ghost of a smile on his lips. “You’re taking all the stupid with you.”

He took a deep breath before getting in the platform. First things first; he had to deliver the Stones. _Then_ he’d worry about the past that would be his future.

“3… 2… 1…”

* * *

“So, what did you do in those years?”

Bucky and Old Steve were in that same room from hours ago. Sam had went to the Avengers compound, unsure if he’d move in there for good or find an apartment for himself. Bucky knew he’d also have to make a similar decision sooner or later, but for now it wasn’t important.

Steve took a sip of water. “Have you ever wondered why you were put on cryo between missions?”

He frowned. That had always been obvious. “I’d be unstable if I stayed out of ice for too long. I mean, look at what happened when I finally escaped them. Soon I was getting some memories back.”

“Yes, but Zemo said the trigger words one time and you turned back into the Winter Soldier as if no progress had been made.”

That made him pause. It had been hard for Steve to bring him back after what Zemo did.

“By mid-50s, you had already been stripped of your identity, and didn’t seem to recall a thing about your past. HYDRA was exceptionally good at that. But they never imagined someone could go after you. Who would? The only person who ever went back to you was Captain America, and he was dead.”

Bucky blinked. “We met.”

He nodded. “I think it was 1955. Not 100% sure. I told Peggy all about you, and she pulled some strings to allow me to go on a mission in Soviet soil. I was never able to catch you, but you saw me, and for a moment it was like all your memories were back. They retrieved you, but that one moment was enough to permanently mess up with their work. They never found out what happened, so my identity remained safe, and they never suspected seeing Steve Rogers would trigger you in 2014.”

Unable to reply with words, Bucky hugged him tight. Slowly, Steve hugged him back. After a couple minutes, the hug was broken, and Steve kept on.

Peggy knew about HYDRA, but she was only one person, and a woman on top of that. She never managed to convince Howard to get rid of Zola, or to have the council investigate suspicious members of SHIELD. But she managed to make HYDRA genuinely fear her, to the point the barely did anything important until she retired - and she purposefully retired as late as possible.

He tried his best to give Tony the love he didn’t get from Howard, but soon he found out Howard made him and Peggy his godparents out of formality. The Starks were hard to reach, and eventually they accepted they’d be nothing but distant relatives. He still tried to show support in small ways, and Tony was always happy when ‘Aunt Peggy’ and ‘Uncle Chris’ visited.

His children didn’t know he was Captain America, and neither did his sister-in-law. When Sharon was born, he confessed his brief affair with her in 2016. Peggy laughed, and her only complaint was that she wouldn’t be around to see such a mess.

Yes, she knew when she was going to die. Steve had told her _everything_ , no details missed. They needed to make plans, after all. When Captain America was revealed to be alive, they faked a divorce, where he claimed he couldn’t compete with a ghost revived, all so she could have a perfect excuse to move away from him; after all, Young Steve couldn't see his old self before her funeral—and even then, they were supposed to stay far enough to avoid any recognition.

Losing Peggy again hurt, especially now that he knew he really wouldn’t see her again. That privilege belonged to the other Steve, who carried the front of her coffin while he carried the back. Even as a supposed ex-husband, he stayed close to her. She was the love of life—of course he’d stay by her side.

As for Natasha… it took a while, because KGB was almost as untouchable as HYDRA, but eventually he found a way to convince Nick Fury that Clint Barton was _the best_ agent to go after Black Widow. (He’d also been the one to convince him to recruit Clint in the first place, though the archer would never know that.)

“By the time I failed to reach out to you again for the third time”, he told Bucky, “I realized that my efforts to make things better than what I lived were precisely what stopped them from being _worse_. God knows what would have happened if HYDRA had truly succeeded in brainwashing you, or if Natasha and Clint had remained in their old lives, or if Tony had never gotten any love out of home. Eventually, things came to a point where I wasn’t able to interfere any longer, but by then I was at peace. I did what I had to do, and it worked.”

A brief silence, followed by Bucky’s question, “Did you lose anyone in the Snap?”

“A son and a granddaughter. But I knew it wasn’t permanent. Actually, that was when I told my family about who I really was.”

“How did they react?”

“Better than I expected. My daughter said that ‘it explained a lot’, and my grandsons kept asking all about my time as Captain America. Sharon choked on her tea, and only refrained from screaming at me because it would out her to our family.” He turned to face Bucky better. “Would you like to meet them? My family?”

Bucky’s eyes widened.

“M-me?”

“Of _course_ , Buck. In a perfect world, you’d have been my first born's godfather. No matter what happened, the best friend title has always been yours. ‘ _Till the end of the line_ , remember?”

The former HYDRA assassin smiled like he rarely did since he fell off the train. Admittedly, he had thought he and Steve had reached the end of the line when he went back in time, but _no_ . Steve was still there. Old, and likely to die for real before him, but _there_. And he never abandoned him, never gave up on him. Life hadn’t been fair to them, but they survived through it, _together_.

“Yeah, punk. ‘Till the end of the line.”


End file.
